FAIRMONT, W.Va. -- Third-ranked Fairmont State scored 57 in the opening half to run away with a 95-69 victory over Notre Dame College on Saturday evening at Joe Retton Arena.
 
With the win the Falcons improve to 14-1 overall and 8-1 in the Mountain East Conference. Notre Dame falls to 10-5 overall and 4-5 in league games.
 
With the game tied for the sixth time at the 13:08 mark of the opening half, the Falcons used an offensive explosion to go on a 22-3 run over the next six minutes, building a 42-23 lead at the 7:21 mark of the first half.  FSU continued to push its lead to as many as 24 in the opening half, going to the locker room with a 57-33 advantage.
 
Fairmont's 57 first-half points are the most the Falcons have scored in the opening half all season.
 
FSU shot 61 percent from the field in the opening half, including draining 6-of-14 attempts from three to open up their lopsided halftime advantage. Matt Bingaya and Thomas Wimbush each scored 11 points in the opening half.
 
The FSU offense cooled-off in the second half but Notre Dame was unable to get closer than a 17-point deficit the rest of the game.
 
For the game, the Falcons shot 46.8 percent (29-of-62) and held a 43-34 rebounding margin in the win. In addition, NDC turned the ball over 23 times in the loss. Fairmont State also turned the ball over 19 times in the game, including 13 times in the second half.
 
The foul differential in the game was 27-15, with NDC being called for 12 more fouls in the loss.
 
Bingaya recorded his fourth-straight, 20-point scoring performance, finishing with 21 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field and a 9-of-12 performance from the line. Jamel Morris also chipped in 17 for the Falcons and Wimbush recorded a double-double with 16 points and 13 boards. Vonte Montgomery and Jason Jolly also scored 12 points apiece, giving the Falcons six players in double-digit scoring. Shammgod Wells passed-out a team-high six assists.
 
Will Vorhees led NDC with 19 points and six boards in the losing effort. KT Taylor chipped in 17 points and Tyree Gaiter was limited to just 13 but passed out a game-high seven assists. Gaiter finished well below his scoring average of 24.7 points per game coming into this afternoon's matchup.
 
FSU will now prepare for Urbana on Monday evening at 7:30 p.m. at Joe Retton Arena, in the second of three-straight home games.